Means for preventing taking of fraudulent impressions from postage



A nl 18, 1933. w. H. WHEELER, JR., ET AL MEANS FOR PREVENTING TAKING OFFRAUDULENT IMPRESSIONS FROM POSTAGE METER MACHINES Filed Nov. 1930 5Sheets-Sheet 1 imtmm Apnl 18, 1933. w. H. WHEELER, JR, ET AL 1,904,638

MEANS FOR PREVENTING TAKING OF FRAUDULENT *PRESSIONS FROM POSTAGE METERMACHINES Filed Nov. 6, 1930 SSheets-Sheet 2 April 8, 1933 w. H. WHEELER,JR., Er AL ,9 4,638

MEANS FOR PREVENTING TAKING OF FRAUDULENT IMPRESSIONS FROM POSTAGE METERMACHINES Filed Nov. 6, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ttorneg 5 Patented Apr. 18,1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER H. WHEELER, JR, AND JACOB W.OGDEN, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, AS-

SIGNORS TO PITNEY-BOWES POSTAGE METER 00., OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE MEANS FOR PREVENTING TAKING 0F FRAUDULENTIMPRESSIONS FROM POSTAGE METER MACHINES Application filed November Theparticular object of this invention is to provide novel means forpreventing fraudulent impressions being taken from flat printing dies bycurved or rocking impression means; or from curved printing dies such asare used on postage meters and the like as shown for example in theso-called Model H machine as described in our companion application(case 7614) filed March 8, 1929, Serial No. 345,515. In such Model Hmachine a curved segmental printing die is mounted in the periphery of arotatable drum or support and comes into operative relation once for andduring each rotation of the drum with the paper or envelope to beimprinted; a cylindric roller usually cooperating with the die to takean impression. If the drum was stopped when the die was exposedfraudulent imprints might be taken therefrom by simulating the action ofthe pressure roller and the present invention provides means whereby thetaking of fraudulent impressions are prevented.

To prevent securing of more than one impression from the die without acomplete revolution of the drum, which is necessary to obtain accurateregistration, the die was housed in the drum and drum casing so thatonly a very small portion of the periphery of the die was exposed at theprinting point at one time, so that it would be necessary to complete arevolution of the drum to secure a complete impression (the rotation ofthe drum being non-reversible). This however is objectionable especiallywhen rather long dies are used (as in the Model H machine) as thehousing has to be so close to the printing face of the envelope goingthrough the machine that it drags and retards the progress of theenvelope and presents an edge or lip on which the envelope is likely tocatch.

Our invention provides what we term a protector for the die whereby animpression can only be obtained by causing the drum to rotate and movethe die relatively to impression means, so that the impression will betaken successively from the front end of the die back to the rear endthereof, and an impression cannot be taken from all points of the diesimultaneously. This protector 6, 1930. Serial No. 493,896.

can be mounted in the drum or die support printed by the die. The termdie is also intended to include any suitable kind or make of printingsurface.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated somepracticalembodiments of the invention which we will hereinafter describeto enable others skilled in the art to adapt and use the same, theseveral modifications referred to merely showing the possibility ofembodying the invention in various mechanical forms, and not as limitingthe in vention to any specific construction shown. In the claims we haveset forth the essentials of the invention, and also certain novelfeatures and combinations of parts for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation partly in section of part of the printingdrum and die of a Model H postage meter equipped with our novel dieprotector and one means for operating same. Fig. 2 is a side view ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 protector assembled. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1showing another means for operating the protector. Fig. 5 is a side viewof Fig. 4c, partly in section. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the drum andprotector device shown in Fig. 4 showing the parts in another position.Figs. 7 and 8 are detail plan and side views of the die. Figs. 9 and 10are detail plan and side views of the protector frame detached and Figs.11 and 12 are detail plan and side views of the protector applied to thedie. I

In the Model H machine, as described in our aforesaid application, thevalue printing die 2 is mounted at or in an opening in the periphery ofa rotatable cylinder or drum 1, and the printing is performed by r0-tating the drum on its axis; and once during is a plan view of the dieand each revolution of the drum the die cooperates with an impressionroller 101 to make an imprint on an envelope passed between them.

The value printing die 2 has an approximately rectangular body 20, and acurved printing surface 2?) (see Figs. 7 and 8). The die protector is anapproximately rectangular frame having side members 3, an end member 3?)and adjacent the opposite end a cross tie rod 3d (see Figs. 9 and 10).The

protector practically encloses the body of the die 2 (see Figs. 11 and12) and its sides are pivoted at 3a to the body of the die so theprotector can rock upon such pivots. The ends 3?) and 3c are adapted toproject be yond the printing surface of the die. Either end member 3?)or 30 can be caused to project beyond the surface of the die. In theconstruction shown by rocking the protector either, the end 3?) (or 30)may be pressed inward flush with the surface of the side and the otherend simultaneously projected beyond the surface of the die (and viceversa) and when so positioned the surface of the inwardly pressed memberconforms to the curvatureof the die. The curved surfaces of the ends 36,30 may if desired virtually form parts of the die and are preferablyengraved with some part of the indicia, it is desired to print, thusmaking them serve as parts of the die.

Owing to the pivotal mounting of the protector one or the other of theends 3?), 30 must of necessity project beyond the printing surface, whenthe other is retracted. This will prevent the simultaneous taking of animpression from the full surface of the die. In the printing operationhowever the pressure is progressively applied to the die by rollingcontact, the entire surface never being under pressure at one and thesame time. Therefore when the drum is revolved (in the direction of thearrow Figs. 1, 4, 6), the impression roller 101 first contacts theprojecting end 3?) and pushes it inward (until flush with the diesurface) thereby rocking the protector and simultaneously projecting theother end 30 beyond the die surface, the end 30 not then having arrivedat the printing point. When the projecting end 30 approaches theprinting point it will be engaged by the impression roller 101 andpushed in flush with the surface of the die and take its. part in makingthe impression, while simultaneously the end 3?), which has then passedthe printing point will be projected; but this can cause no damage asthe impressionfrom the adjacent part of the die has already been made.The same rocking action of the protector with the same negative resultswill occur when the die is passing over the inking roller 4, for itssupply of ink.

As it is necessary to rock the protector 3 ing of an imprint. Variousmeans could be employed to hold the end 30 projected so that afraudulent impression could not be made, but it is only when the die isexposed so that it could be tampered with that the protector has tofunction.

In the preferred construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 one end of the rod303 is extended through a slot in the back wall la of the drum, andcarries a roller 36 which engages a race cam slot 10 in the wall 11 ofthe meter housing in rear of the drum. The cam slot 10 extends aroundthe axis of rotation of the drum, and roller 86 engaging said slot keepsthe protector under positive control at all times. The groove 10 hasproperly shaped deflecting portions at the points where it is necessaryto rock the protector to alternately retract and project the members 8b,30 when passing the impression point or roller, and also when passingthe inking roller 4. As the drum is prevented by suitable means (notshown) from being turned in a reverse direction the positive control ofthe protector is effectual.

Another means for operating the protector is shown in Figs. 4:6. Asshown in the printing drum 1 is a dash pot 5 having a piston 5a and rod56 projected by a spring 58. The outer part of rod 5?) is provided withratchet teeth 50, and said rod has a stud 5d which projects throughaslot in the rear wall 1a of the drum and carries a roller 56 adapted toengage a projecting convolute cam 7 on the inner face of the rear wall11 of the meter housing 11a or drum casing in rear of the drum.

A pawl 6 is pivoted at 6a in the drum and is adapted to engage theratchet teeth 50. Said pawl has an arm carrying a stud 6d projectingthrough a slot in the back wall 1a of drum 1 and having a roller 66 onits rear end adapted to engage a projecting convolute cam 8 on wall 11.A. spring 68 normally urges the pawl 6 intoengagement with the ratchetteeth 50.

The rod 3d of the protector lies directly in the path of travel of thepiston rod 56, and if the piston rod 56 is projected out, of

the dash pot '5 it will. engage rod 3d and be held in this position bythe pawl 6 and pre- Vent the projector end 30 of the projector beingpushed back into the drum. If the piston rod is projected it will beretracted after the die has passed the printing position during therevolution of the drum as the roller 6e will Contact with cam 8 and bethereby caused to move inward toward the center of the drum anddisengage pawl 6 from the ratchet teeth 50. Then the roller 56 willcontact with cam 7 and be thereby moved inward and retract the pistonrod 5?). Both the piston rod and pawl will retain their restoredinactive positions until just before the forward end of the die againreaches the printing point. Then both rollers 5e and 6e will disengagetheir respective cams, and the piston rod is projected toward the rod 3don the protector. The speed of outward movement of the piston rod iscontrolled by the dash pot, which is so adjusted that the interval oftime required by the dash pot for moving the piston rod to its effectiveposition will be suflicient to permit completing an impression from thedie in the normal operation of the machine; instead of the dash potother suitable means may be used to delay the action of the lock.

lVe do not consider this invention limited to any of the specificmechanisms disclosed above.

Also it is not essential that the ends of the protector 3b and 30 beengraved to make them part of the indicia, as they may be made to act asplain bars projecting above the printing surface from the sides of thedie and depressed below the printing surface when passing the printingpoint as illustrated in Fig. 12.

We consider the structure shown in Fig. 1 is simpler and just aseffective as the dash pot structure shown in Figs. 4 and 6. Ohviouslythe protector might be used with a fiat die, against which a fullimpression is taken in sequence by a rocking platen or a reciprocatingroller. The essential feature of the invention is that a protectingdevicepreferably adjacent the front and rear ends of the die would beoperated substantially as described for each proper single impressionoperation and prevent taking a second or fraudulent impression from thedie when the latter is exposed adjacent the printing point.

We claim:

1. In combination with a rotatable printing die; spaced devices adaptedto be alternately projected beyond the printing surface of the die topermit taking a progressive impression from the surface of the die, butpreventing the taking of a simultaneous impression from all portions ofsuch surface; and means for retracting one device and simultaneouslyprojecting the other while the die is exposed for printing.

2. In combination with a rotary printing die, devices adjacent oppositeends of the die and adapted to be alternately projected beyond theprinting surface of the die said devices permitting the taking of aprogressive impression from the surface of the die, and preventing thetaking of a simultaneous impression from all parts of such surface; andmeans for retracting one device and simultaneously projecting the otherwhile the die is exposed for printing.

3. In combination with a printing die; a

rocking protectorhaving spaced members adapted to project beyond theimpression surface of the die and permit taking aprogressive impressionfrom the surface of the die but prevent obtaining a simultaneousimpression from all parts of such surface.

1 4. In. combination with a printing die; a rocking protector havingspaced projections on its ends adapted to projectalternately be yond theprinting surface'of the die and per mit taking a progressive impressionfrom the surface of the die but to prevent taking a simultaneousimpression from all parts of such surface, and means for. operating saidprotector.

.5. In combination arotary drum, aprinting die mounted in the drum,protector means in thedrum adapted to alternately project beyond theprinting surface of the die and permit'taking a progressive impressionfrom the surface of the die but prevent taking a simultaneous impressionfrom all parts of such surface.

6. In combination a rotatable drum, a printing die therein, andprotector devices in the drum adjacent opposite ends of the'die adaptedto alternately project beyond the printing surface of the die to preventtaking a simultaneous impression from all parts of the printing surface;andmeans forretracting and projecting said. devices during the rotationof the drum.

7. In combination a rotary drum, a printing die therein, protectordevices in the drum adjacent opposite ends of the die adapted to projectbeyond the printing surface-of the die to-prevent taking a simultaneousimpression from all parts of the printing surface, and means forretracting one device and simultaneously projecting the other duringtherotation of the drum. and the taking of an impression from the die.

8. In combination with a printing die; protector means adapted toproject beyond the impression surface of the die to prevent the takingof a simultaneous imprint from all portions of the printing surface ofthe die, and means for operating the protector.

9. In combination with a printing die; protector means adapted toproject beyond the impression surface of the die and prevent taking asimultaneous impression from the entire printing surface of the diewhile permitting taking a progressive impression from such surface, andmeans for operating the protector.

10. In combination with an orbitally moving printing die; protectormeans adapted to project beyond the impression surface of the dieadjacent the end thereof to prevent taking a simultaneous impressionfrom the entire printing surface of the die while permitting taking aprogressive impression from such surface, and means for operating theprotector.

11. In combination with a printing die;

spaced protector means adapted to project alternately beyond theprinting surface of the die, to prevent taking a simultaneous impressionfrom the entire printing surface of the: die while permitting taking aprogressive impression from such surface, an

means for operating the protector.

I 12. In combination with a rotatable printing die; spaced protectordevices adjacent opposite ends of the die, adapted. to alternatelyproject beyond the printing surface of the die and permit taking aprogressive impression from the surface of the die but prevent thesimultaneous taking of an im pression from all parts of such surface,and means for operating the protector.

13. In combination with a printing die; spaced protector devices adaptedto be al ternately projected beyond the printing surface of the die topermit taking a progressive impression from the surface of the die butprevent the simultaneous taking of an im-, pression from all parts ofsuch-surface, and means for alternately retracting and projecting suchdevices.

14. In combination with an orbitally moving printing die; a pivotedprotector adapted to project beyond the impression surface of the die toprevent taking an impression simultaneously from the entire printingsurface of the die; and means for operating said protector.

1 15. In combination with a printing die; a rocking protector havingspaced means adapted to project alternately beyond the printing surfaceof the die to prevent taking an impression simultaneously from all partsof the printing surface of the die; and means for operating saidprotector.

W. H. WHEELER, JR.

JACOB W. OGDEN.

